Not often do you see a poll in which the incoming Administration has a substantially lower approval rating than the outgoing one during the “honeymoon period,” but that’s exactly what Quinnipiac reported today.
In early February 2007, Quinnipiac’s first approval rating for Governor Strickland showed him with an approval rating at 45% approval and 12% disapproval and the rest undecided. In today’s Quinnipiac Poll, Strickland leaves office with… a 46% approval rating.
Kasich better hope he does better getting the undecided Ohioans this early in his term to approve of his performance or else he’s in big trouble come 2014.
According to Quinnipiac, Kasich has an approval rating of only 30%, and 22% already DISAPPROVE. That means he has a small +8 advantage in his job approval in his first week on the job compared to the +33 advantage Strickland had relatively around the same time period. As far as my research can find, no first-term Ohio Governor has had such a low approval or as high disapproval rating as Kasich. Nearly a quarter of Ohioans disapprove of the job Kasich is doing.
Independents approve of Strickland now more than ten points more than they approve of Kasich.
As for Kasich’s decision to scrap the 3C passenger rail system, Ohioans are largely split on the decision with a slight plurality (48%) supported the decision, while 42% of Ohioans opposed it.
However, that’s the best Kasich does on any issue Quinnipiac tested:
- By 46% to 43% Ohioans OPPOSE Kasich’s plan to layoff state employees;
- By 51% to 30% Ohioans OPPOSE leasing the turnpike;
- By 51% to 31% Ohioans OPPOSE Kasich’s plan to privatize State prisons;
- By 51% to 34% Ohioans OPPOSE Kasich’s plan to restrict or eliminate the right of public employees to collectively bargain;
- By 51% to 36% Ohioans OPPOSE Kasich’s plan to eliminate the State’s estate tax;
From the Quinnipiac press release:
"Ohioans do not want a tax increase to deal with the budget crisis but are skeptical that Gov. Kasich will be able to avoid one, despite his promises," said Brown.
In fact, not even a majority of registered Republicans believe Kasich will keep his no higher taxes pledge…
Statehouse Republicans have to take this poll seriously and realize that if they pursue their legislative agenda that is OPPOSED by a majority of the electorate they might not only be out of the job, but they could single handedly tip Ohio to Obama in 2012 and the entire presidential election.
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